Consumers often feel a great need for information about products and services that are offered for sale. This could include a need for such things as price, size, weight, expiration date, nutritional information, instructions for use, product applications, warranty, warnings, rating by independent testing organizations, product demonstrations or samples, service information, and background, biographical or historical information about the creator, service provider, manufacturer, or seller.
While some of the desired information may be easily attached to the relevant product or easy to supply as part of the service, consumers can still have an unfilled need for accurate, up to date, relevant, and appropriate information because:
1. Space may be limited on the product package or display; PA1 2. The information may be changing rapidly, and obsolete information might be useless, misleading, or even dangerous; PA1 3. All information may not be appropriate for all viewers; and PA1 4. There may even be too much information, and viewers need assistance in sorting through the available information to find the information that is relevant to their needs. For example, there is an enormous amount of information available on the Internet, but it is often difficult for consumers to find and even more difficult for consumers to tie the information in the Internet to the product in which they are interested.
Just as consumers may have a great need for information about products and services, retailers, distributors, packagers, and service providers may be aware of these needs and may wish to provide information to consumers in order to increase sales and profits. Knowing which consumers show an interest in which products, regardless of whether the products are purchased or not, may help the provider towards a wiser use of marketing resources. Also, knowing more about what information consumers desire may help providers decide what, if any, changes might be needed in product or service function and quality in order to improve consumer acceptance of the product or service. Thus, obtaining information about why consumers choose not to buy a product or service may be even more important than obtaining information about those consumers who do choose to buy a particular product or service. Further, different customers need different information. In order for a product or service provider to provide relevant information to the consumer, the provider must first obtain information from the consumer about the consumer's needs.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a mechanism for enhanced information delivery about products and services to consumers based on the preferences and needs of customers.